ExifTool Forum

General => Other Discussion => Topic started by: I3ordo on April 04, 2022, 09:42:07 AM

Title: Image browser recommendation for metatags and other fields
Post by: I3ordo on April 04, 2022, 09:42:07 AM
 Hi,
I am looking for a better image browser than Picasa for searching through metatags and IPTC fields.(wrong terminology probable)

Currently i can search these fields, so if manually write to these fields below,

Title
Tags
Authors
Copyright
Camera Maker
Camera Model
Picasa and Lightroom can show results as it indexes those fields and yield results.

But i would love to have more fields searchable so i don't have to snug too many information to a few fields.

Picasa (and Lightroom it seems )does not index these  fields.
Subject
Comments
Lens maker
Lens model
Flash maker
Flash model
Program name

For example i write "flash model" to "flash model" of the jpg via right click details, but neither Picasa nor Lightroom show that image that those text on those fields.

So i wish there was an alternative browser that i could utilize those fields above.

What terms should i use for searching a metatag field oriented image browser?
Maybe i am missing the terminology here... how should i search for a browser that can index and let me find images like that.

thanks for any insight







Title: Re: Image browser recommendation for metatags and other fields
Post by: StarGeek on April 04, 2022, 11:10:58 AM
While Picasa was nice for the casual user, it really sucked if you were serious about your images and their metadata.  It caused me no end of problems, such as completely wiping out the MakerNotes for my Nikon if I used it too write data to the file.

I would think that Lightroom should be able to search things flash and lens.  This Adobe forums (https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-ecosystem-cloud-based-discussions/search-for-lenses-used-in-lr-cc/td-p/9571903#U11453860) post seems to indicate it should be possible in the desktop app, though I don't know as my copy of LR is very old.

Otherwise, you'll want to look into a better Digital Assets Manager (DAM) program.  DigiKam (https://www.digikam.org/) is free and should allow you to do so.  I think DarkTable (https://www.darktable.org/) also has some DAM functionality, though it's more aimed as a LR replacement.

IMO, though, the very best when it comes to metadata is PhoTool's IMatch (https://www.photools.com/).  It is pricey and very complicated, but it gives you pretty much complete control over how you want to deal with metadata.  For example
Hierarchical Keywords
(https://i.imgur.com/uJs8MOM.png)

Location data
(https://i.imgur.com/VFgJO0f.png)

Aperature
(https://i.imgur.com/itmfWUN.png)

Lens
(https://i.imgur.com/1tsEqG9.png)

IMatch uses exiftool on the back end and can deal with just about any data that exiftool can extract.